NCPGA TEE.SHOTS Magazine - Fall 2010

FALL 2010 www.ncpga.com

TEE.SHOTSMAGAZINE

BRUCE WILSON

12th Recipient of the Section’s Prestigious

Honorary Member Award

CONTENTS

FEATURES

FEATURES 12 – Professionals Gather to Pay Tribute to

Honorary Member Bruce Wilson

14 – Lyle O. Wehrman, Nor Cal PGA Leader Passes Away at 94

DEPARTMENTS3 – From the President: by Monte Koch, PGA

4 – From the Executive Director & C.O.O.: by Chris Thomas

6 – Employment Services: by Carol Pence, PGA/LPGA

8 – NCPGA Sponsor Spotlight: E-Z-GO Textron

9 - Internet Marketing and Social Media: by Eric Jones, MA, PGA

18 – Tournament Recaps

21 – Player of the Year Standings

26 – Pro-Pro Best Practices: by John Snopkowski, PGA

28 – NCPGA Profile: Richard Flynn, PGA

30 - NCPGA Junior Golf Tour: by Gary Xavier, PGA

32 – Short Shots

ON THE COVER(l) NCPGA President Monte Koch presents Bruce Wilson (c) with a plaque commemorating his induction as the 12th Honorary Member of the Section. Wilson shared this special evening with wife Kathy (r) by his side and the numerous colleagues and friends who have been touched by his commitment to the game, authentic personality and generous spirit throughout the last 38 years.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA SECTION411 Davis Street, Suite 103

Vacaville, CA 95688Phone: (707) 449-4742

Fax: (707) 449-4755

E-mail: [email protected] site: www.ncpga.com

NCPGA OFFICERS

President - Monte Koch, Chardonnay GC

Vice President & Treasurer - Len Dumas,

Contra Costa CC

Secretary - John Hughes, Castlewood CC

Honorary President - Bob Young, Stockton G&CC

PGA DISTRICT 11 DIRECTOR

Sue Fiscoe, FM Golf – Northern California Section

NCPGA DIRECTORS

Brad Braden, Dublin Ranch GC

Bob Caldwell, Bodega Harbour Golf Links

Mike Dowd, Oakdale G&CC

Tom James, Kings CC

Cathy Jo Johnson, GC at Incline Village

Jim Kepler, Eagle Valley GC

Dede Moriarty, Presidio GC

Tracy Stansberry, Richmond, CA

Dan Brace, Independent Director

CHAPTER PRESIDENTS

Pat Gould - North State: Peach Tree CC

Dave Lewis - San Joaquin Valley:

Stripes Practice Center

Gus Jones - Sierra Nevada: Martis Camp Club

Eric Lippert – Monterey Bay: Del Monte GC

Mark Naylor - Bay Area: Castlewood CC

Ted Mattila - North Coast: Buckingham G&CC

NCPGA SECTION STAFF

Chris Thomas, Executive Director & COO

Nancy Maul, Assistant Executive Director

Jennifer Noël, Executive Assistant

& Communications Specialist

Brandon Hill, Assistant Tournament Director

Nancy “Ida” French, Administrative Assistant

Suzy Schneider, Foundation Administrative Assistant

Gary Xavier, Junior Golf Tournament Director

NCPGA CONSULTANTS

Dan Brace: Legal Counsel

Carol Pence: PGA of America

Employment Services Consultant

ADVERTISING

For advertising information, please contact:

Nancy Maul or Jennifer Noël at (707) 449-4742

pg 14 pg 30 pg 32

TEE SHOTS MAGAZINETee Shots Magazine is produced for the NCPGA

by ACE Communications & Graphics (ACE) (951) 679-9644.

Postage paid at Temecula, CA and additional offices.

Editor: Nancy MaulManaging Editor: Jennifer Noël

Production/Pre Press: Greg FloresContributing Writer: Amal Nichols

Tee Shots Magazine is distributed free to members and affiliates of the NCPGA. The articles and other

information contained within this publication are informational and do not necessarily represent the views

or opinions of the NCPGA.

The NCPGA and ACE assume no responsibility or liability for claims made for or by any product in this

publication whether reported or advertised. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission of

the NCPGA and ACE is prohibited.

Northern California PGA - TEE.SHOTS Magazine 3

Making Every PGA Professional an MVP By Monte KochNCPGA President

P R E S I D E N T ' S M E S S A G E

As I think about what to write in this issue, I pause to consider how “hyper-busy” I’ve been as a golf

professional this season. No doubt, you’ve been very busy as well. And while it’s been all-business, seemingly all the time, there have been some real highlights for me since our last issue of TEE.SHOTS Magazine. Foremost, is the continued and deepening honor of being the President of the NCPGA. Second, was the huge turnout at the Semi-Annual Meeting this last July at the Eldorado Hotel Casino Reno to honor our newest Honorary Member, Bruce Wilson. It was a most memorable night – and for all of the right reasons! Another highlight took place this past August at Spanish Bay for the 3rd Annual The Langley, A Tribute to Legends event which honored Tom Watson and Sandy Tatum and proceeds raised will benefit our NCPGA Foundation. Kudos must go to our Section staff, our Langley Committee, led by Past Presidents, Mike Mazzaferri and Shim La Goy, and our sponsors, led by CIG Insurance and their CEO, Peter Cazzolla.

In spite of the busy-ness of the golf season, I’ve worked very hard to represent each of you, our NCPGA members with our sponsors, on committees, with our Section Board and Staff, and nationally as your Section PGA representative. This fall will be a busy one; however I am really looking forward to representing you at the following events: • Attending Chapter meetings throughout the Section• In late October, the Board of Directors and I will meet to conduct the business of our Section at Poppy Hills, while at the same time supporting our NCPGA Cup Team members while they compete in their annual matches versus the NCGA.• In November, Vice President Len Dumas, Secretary John Hughes, Executive Director & C.O.O Chris Thomas and I will represent our Section at the 94th PGA Annual Meeting in Boston, Massachusetts. It is at this meeting that the future direction of the Association is determined. Strategic decisions will be made including votes on amendments to our Constitution, as well as the bi-annual election for Secretary of the PGA. This is an important election as it will determine who will represent the PGA of America nationally as our 2016 President during the 100 Year Anniversary of the Association as well as during the 2016 Olympics where golf will once again be featured as an Olympic sport.

Before concluding, I’d like to again switch gears and challenge you, and myself, to consider the following thought: “When the chips are down, who’s going to take the lead?”

Times are tough - yeah, you knew that. It would seem the next couple of years may well be the “hump” years for our industry. That’s right, the make or break time

period between a rebound and a continued slump. With that said, somewhat as a background, I’d like to put forth yet another challenge to each of us as golf professionals. Instead of becoming cynical, apathetic and/or despondent, let’s go the other way. Let’s look at this situation as an opportunity to step up as the “MVP” at our facilities by showing leadership, genuine concern and creativity like never before. This is our chance to be difference makers, both for the bottom line and for the equally important “people” line.

If you’ve had your “ear to the ground,” you'd know that after more than 94 years of being the essence of what an MVP is, our unofficial Section hero and long time PGA Professional, Lyle Wehrman, passed away in late September. He’s made a difference as a PGA Professional, a father, a husband and a friend and actually made it to the PGA Hall of Fame. Although it's difficult to ask, I feel must. Who’s going to be our next Lyle Wehrman? Think on that one for a while; give it a couple of minutes.

As we consider Lyle and his impact, what do we remember? His playing ability? Maybe. His speaking skills, merchandising ability or efforts on the Board of Directors or as Section President? Again, maybe. What we’ll surely remember, and admire, will be Lyle’s ability to lead by example; his dedication and volunteer spirit to the Section and many, many worthy causes. After Lyle passed away, it was awesome to hear Past Section Presidents and Board Members tell stories about how Lyle impacted their lives, the Section and the industry at large. What I got from each of these stories was that Lyle led a sincere, “care-full” life. Not cautious, not unwilling or apathetic, but full of energy and care about his family, his fellow golf professionals and his customers. Lyle stepped up whenever he was asked, and most importantly, when he wasn’t. Instead of simply admiring Lyle, let’s follow his lead, at our level and/or at our facility.

In conclusion, thank you for trusting in me, your Board of Directors and the Section staff to represent you. But don’t forget that you represent every other PGA Professional or apprentice in an equally important manner. Every time each of us step up to emulate the character and dedication of the great Lyle Wehrman, in our own way, we better the game of golf and the standing of the PGA Professional in our marketplace. In the long run that is what we’ll be remembered for isn’t it? P.S. Don’t forget to keep being “The Mayor” at your facility!

Ever grateful to serve,

4 Northern California PGA - TEE.SHOTS Magazine

As we close out on 2010, I am proud to look back at the year and all the success we have achieved.

I encourage each of you to attend our Special Awards Ceremony and Annual Meeting this December 5-6th at North Ridge Country Club in Fair Oaks, CA. This two-day event marks the ending of yet another year and allows us to pay tribute to our annual award winners and provide our membership with a state of the union address. It is one of my favorite times of the year, because we are able to unite with colleagues, family and friends and recognize those who have achieved so much and contributed greatly to our association and its successes throughout the year. Registration is available online at NCPGALinks.com and I hope to see you there.

2010 marked the debut of our Junior Golf Tour in which we held 11 events and saw Seb Crampton of Pacific Grove, Calif. and Taylor Camany of Salinas, Calif. capture the inaugural NCPGA Junior Tour Championship title for eTour Boys (age 14-18 years) and eTour Girls (age 12-18 years) respectively. The Tour achieved its goal to offer a balance of player competition and family involvement in which community outreach, leadership and character development were the foundations for our players’ journey. I would like to thank the PGA Professionals who hosted events and ultimately the players who participated. I encourage you to get involved by either promoting the event to the juniors at your facility or by hosting or volunteering onsite at one of the upcoming events in 2011. For more information, please visit www.ncpga.com

I would like to extend my appreciation to our Section sponsors. They support the programming for our members and it only makes sense for us to return the favor and support them as well. A full listing of our Section sponsors and their contact information is listed in the Sponsors Directory online at NCPGALinks.com.

The 3rd Annual “The Langley, A Tribute to Legends” took place August 30-31 at The Links at Spanish Bay in Pebble Beach. At the NCPGA Foundation’s premier fundraising event, we honored PGA TOUR Veteran Tom Watson and USGA Past President Sandy Tatum. “The Langley” tournament brought in 19

teams consisting of one PGA Pro and four Amateurs. The team of Casey Reamer, Bill Montgomery, Steve John, Ruben Richards, and George Records took first place with a score of 113; John Abendroth, Leo Loane, Ron Wagner, Michael Douglis, and Tyler Peak came in second place with a score of 114; and the team of Jim O’Neal, John DiCarlo, Greg Forgatch, Charlie Rodgers, and Drew Gibson won third place with a score of 115. A big thank you to Rich Cosand, PGA, head golf professional at the Links at Spanish Bay for providing the tournament support and scoring. I would also like to thank our title sponsor Capital Insurance Group as well as the Frys.com Open, AON Benfield, Polo Ralph Lauren Golf, Almaden Press, Golf Insurance Services, Marival Residences & World Spa, NBC Bay Area, KNBR, and American Airlines.

I want to remind everyone that as a service to its Professionals, the NCPGA Foundation allows NCPGA members who are hosting NCPGA Pro-Am charity events to run them through the Foundation in order to gain tax deduction benefits for those who attend and/or donate. The proceeds can benefit either local programs at their facility or within their community and the event itself benefits their facility’s revenues. PGA Members interested in hosting a fundraising event can find information at www.ncpgalinks.com under “Member Services.” More information on the NCPGA Foundation can be found at www.NCPGAfoundation.org.

On a final note, the PGA Member Service Requirement (MSR) cycle is coming to a close on June 15, 2011. That is the deadline for all Class A and Life Member Active Professionals to earn their required total of 54 credits for the cycle. This includes 12 education and 12 national/Section/chapter PGA or National allied association meeting points. If you have questions about your MSR total or how to earn MSR credits, please contact Ida French at the Section Office at (707) 449-4742.

Sincerely,

E X E C U T I V E D I R E C T O R ' S M E S S A G E

Beneficial Programsfor PGA MembersChris ThomasNCPGA Executive Director/COO


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P G A E M P L O Y M E N T C O N S U L T A N T

Good Planning is Good for Business By Carol Pence, PGA/LPGA – PGA Employment Consultant

With the season winding down and winter almost upon us, now is

a great time to design new programs for next year. Take a moment and gather the Golf Shop staff to brainstorm ideas.

There is a multitude of ways to decide on what to offer in the coming season:• Discuss areas needing improvement or focus • Revisit goals already set• Ask your customers or members what they desire• Examine where you are losing market-share or missing opportunities• Recall cool ideas seen when visiting other facilities• Google to find out what other industries are doing• Check out PGALinks for Best Practices

The Best Practices Section on PGALinks as well as on the Section website (NCPGALinks.com) can be a huge resource for assembling great ideas. There are hundreds of methods and techniques that have consistently shown superior results

and have been successfully utilized all over the country. The bugs are already worked out! They have been submitted by PGA Professionals and friends from allied associations to PGA Magazine.

For easy access to the database, start by going to the PGALinks homepage and under Member Quick Links, click on PGA Research. Best Practices can then be found under Facility Research.

On the Best Practices page, you can search and browse resources under four main categories: Facility Operations, Player Development, Development and Acquisition and Marketing. These are then broken down into subcategories, customer categories, by sources, etc.

Let’s take the example of Facility Operations. There are 19 subcategories covering topics ranging from Pace of Play to Increasing Player Rounds. A sample found under the subcategory for Instruction is a piece by NCPGA Professional Bruce Olson on “A Token Reward” which shares


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his ideas on building a successful junior program:

“To ensure the participants’ undivided attention during the many clinics and camps he runs year-round as part of his junior golf program, Bruce Olson employs a reward system that lets the parents know they are getting their money’s worth. Olson, the PGA head professional at Golden Gate Park Golf Course in San Francisco, will gather the kids together after their 90-minute session for a snack and a quiz.

“I’ll ask questions from whatever was talked about that day,” he says. “The kids enjoy the Q&A.”

They enjoy it because if they answer the question correctly when called upon, Olson gives them a $2 token. “We use it as a motivator, as both a carrot and a stick,” he says. “During the Q&A, the parents are starting to arrive to pick up their kids, and this shows them we’re out there doing something, not just playing golf.”

The junior golfers can cash in their tokens at the golf shop of the nine-hole, par-3 public facility for golf balls, tees, candy or collect them as did one girl who ultimately exchanged the tokens for a $130 set of clubs. Olson plans to incorporate another “carrot” into his junior program this summer – pop beads. While out on the course, he will challenge each golfer to accomplish a task appropriate for their skill level, say two-putt from a certain distance. With each objective reached, the kid receives a pop bead for his/her string. Once 10 beads are strung together, they can be exchanged for tokens. “Our mission is to teach life skills, like being a good listener,” Olson says. “Golf is a vehicle to teach those things”. (Jeffress, Steven. “A Token Reward” PGA Magazine, May 2007).

There are other Best Practices which can be accessed on the PGALinks home page such as links to a wide variety of previously-published best practices and case studies. PGA Magazine also offers solutions each week that highlight travel, retail, instruction, women and golf, and tournaments and outings. These Best Practices can be sent directly to your inbox via e-mail by contacting Patrick Cherry at [email protected] or by selecting the PGAMagazine.com links on the left of homepage screen. I encourage each of you to submit a Best Practice to be published, as it is a great way to share great ideas for others to work from.

Now is the time to assemble plans to address your operation’s needs in 2011. Perhaps start by assigning each staff-person a role in the planning process or schedule periodic meetings throughout the winter to brainstorm and create the programs. A regularly scheduled hour-long meeting can accomplish a lot.

Not only does this create camaraderie for the staff, it will get everybody on the same page for the upcoming year. You will also be maximizing your opportunities to grow revenues and hit the needs of your golfers. Thus, good planning is good for business!

Carol Pence is a PGA and LPGA member serving the Northern California Section. She can be reached at (510)706-1583 or [email protected].


N C P G A S P O N S O R S P O T L I G H T

E-Z-GO, a Textron company, introduces the TXT 48 fleet golf car, the next generation of the classic E-Z-GO TXT vehicle. The TXT 48 updates the proven E-Z-GO TXT electric golf car platform with a 48-volt DC drivetrain and exclusive TruCourse Technology system that allows golf course operators an unprecedented degree of freedom in tailoring the vehicle’s performance to match the unique topography and conditions of their course.

TruCourse Technology offers more customization settings than any other fleet golf car on the market, allowing course owners to alter TXT 48 performance characteristics such as acceleration and motor-braking to best fit conditions of their course. An optional handheld diagnostic tool provides even greater customization capabilities.

The combination of the 48-volt DC drivetrain and TruCourse Technology also makes the TXT 48 more energy-efficient. The vehicle offers 10 percent greater energy efficiency than the previous 36-volt TXT golf car, and its improved regenerative braking system provides up to 10 percent more power back into the batteries under normal operating conditions – lowering operating costs for the golf course operator.

The same technology gives the TXT 48 better on-course performance than its predecessor, with greater, more consistent power and hill-climbing from the first hole of the day to the last, and downhill speed control that offers a comfortable ride over even steep paths and grades.

In addition to the advanced technology detailed above, the TXT 48 retains the classic styling and proven features of the E-Z-GO TXT platform, including a welded, tubular steel frame with powder-coat protection, scratch-resistant body panels, center-mounted cup, ball and tee holders, slip-resistant floormats, double-walled canopy and handle, and a walkaway braking alarm.

Like all E-Z-GO vehicles, the TXT 48 is manufactured in Augusta, Ga., at E-Z-GO’s world headquarters, recently honored as one of the top ten manufacturing facilities in North America by Industry Week magazine.

Detailed features of the TXT 48 include:

TRUCOURSE TECHNOLOGYThe TXT 48 uses new TruCourse Technology from E-Z-GO to allow an exceptional degree of customization of vehicle performance characteristics, allowing golf-course operators to change the performance of the vehicle to the unique terrain and topography of their course. An optional handheld diagnostic tool offers even more precise customization of vehicle performance.

48-VOLT DC DRIVETRAINThe TXT 48 offers a 48-volt DC drivetrain with 10 percent greater energy efficiency over the 36-volt model, and larger battery capacity for longer daily range, with consistent power and hill-climbing ability from the first hole to the last.

IMPROVED REGENERATIVE BRAKINGThe TXT 48’s regenerative braking sends 10 percent more power back into the batteries during normal operation when compared to the previous 36-volt model, for greater energy efficiency and more consistent performance across more rounds of play.

DOWNHILL SPEED CONTROLEnhanced downhill speed control, made possible by the use of TruCourse Technology, offers a smooth and comfortable ride over challenging hills and course topography.

CHARGER LOCKOUTA charger lockout feature, passed down from the industry-leading E-Z-GO RXV, disables the vehicle while the charger is plugged in, preventing damage from “drive-off” incidents. New LED lights on the charger receptacle provide information about the charging status of the vehicle at a quick glance.

HANDHELD DIAGNOSTICSA new, optional handheld diagnostic tool allows for more precise customization of vehicle performance to match the unique characteristics of any course. The tool also provides immediate, user-friendly information on the status of key vehicle systems, allowing for simplified maintenance and better fleet rotation practices.

CLASSIC E-Z-GO STYLING AND FEATURESThe TXT 48 retains the unique styling and many of the proven features of the classic TXT fleet golf car, including scratch-resistant body panels, a tubular, welded steel chassis with powder-coat paint, rack-and-pinion steering, a one-piece front axle, slip-resistant floormat, center-mounted cup, ball and tee holders, double-walled canopy with handle, and walkaway braking alarm.

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The TXT 48 is available for lease or purchase now. For more information, visit www.ezgo.com or contact your E-Z-GO sales representatives: Craig Faris - (510) 301-7099 / [email protected] Hughes - (916) 751-6291 / [email protected] Meyer - (510) 301-7617 / [email protected]


Have a story to tell? Do you have a competitive advantage or feature that sets you apart from others? Are you different in

some way?

Rather than use your website to have you talking about your competitive advantages or compelling features or services yourself, let others talk about them for you. With a little fore-thought and a modest amount of effort you can create a far more compelling marketing message through the words of your biggest fans.

It's called social proof, and so many of your customers are using the internet to find out about you that providing social proof to your prospects should be a staple of your marketing efforts. Whether you are a golf course, driving range, or teaching professional, having somebody else say something positive about you is far more believable and effective than having you say it yourself.

Getting a testimonial is usually pretty easy. All you have to do is ask! And if you follow the simple steps in this article you can collect a wide variety of testimonials covering every feature and benefit you would otherwise have to list yourself. When you do, your message will be a lot more believable to your prospects.

The first step in conducting a testimonial-gathering campaign is to list the features and benefits of your facility or service you would like to have your customers highlight for you. Does your course have a beautiful setting, easy access, the best hot dogs in the county, or the friendliest service? Is your teaching practice geared toward a specific demographic like juniors, women, or seniors? Do you specialize in putting or driving, or do you have a top fitting system?

Whatever it is, start by making a list of the things you would like others to talk about for you. Go to your website and find every paragraph where you describe a feature about you or your facility.

Then turn them into testimonials.

Send a note to your mailing list asking them for their testimonial and their permission to post their feedback on your site. If you ask specific questions you'll wind up with some surprisingly effective comments.

One of the tricks to getting good testimonials is to ask for specifics. Whether you send an email or get an on-the-spot video, providing the right stem-sentences will keep their testimonials focused and benefit-laden.

The basic structure will ask for comments using the following structure:Feature -> Benefit -> Result

Structure your questions using stem-sentences to make it easy for your customers to give you what you want.

For example, if one of the attractions of your facility is the setting, you would tell your customers you are looking for testimonials about

the setting and ask them to complete the following three sentences:"What I like best about the XYZ Golf Course setting is …"

Your second stem-sentence delivers the benefit. Have them complete a stem-sentence like: "The reason I like this so much is because…"

Your last question is the result. What do they walk away with? How will they feel or remember their experience? Use a stem-sentence like: "As a result I …"

You will end up with a tight testimonial that may read something like: "I like the fact that XYZ course is situated among the vineyards. It's nice to be surrounded by nature with lots of wide-open spaces and beautiful views. Whenever I play XYZ course I always leave feeling relaxed and refreshed, and that's why I keep coming back, especially when I need to get away."

Teaching professionals would take the same approach, using stem sentences like "what I like about my Pro is …. Because I always get …. And the result is that my game …"

Collect as many testimonials as you can and replace as many "you talking" features with as many "them saying" testimonials as possible. Let others provide the social proof. It will improve your marketing efforts with minimal investment of time and resources.

Eric Jones is a Class A PGA Professional and World Long Drive Champion. He holds a Masters degree in Sport Psychology, is the author of two golf books, and is an expert in social media and internet marketing. Eric's passion is helping golfers learn, play better golf, and have more fun. Eric is the creator of the "Golf Coach Program," an innovative teaching model that provides golfers greater access to instruction at an affordable price. Eric teaches at the Pleasanton Golf Center in Pleasanton, CA. His website is http://www.targetcenteredgolf.com and he can be reached at [email protected]

Social Proof: Let TestimonialsTell Your Story by Eric Jones, PGA

M A R K E T I N G & S O C I A L M E D I A

Does your course have a beautiful setting, easy access, the best hot dogs in the county, or the friendliest service? Whatever it is, start by making a list of the things you would like others to talk about for you.


How to Schedule Your 2011 Pro-Am It’s that time of year again – time to plan next year’s calendar of events. Just as you have a process to plan your club events, there is a process used to plan NCPGA Section events. With the wide variety of events held in our Section, there are lots of moving parts to manage when orchestrating the NCPGA calendar each year.

What Events does the NCPGA Place on its Calendar, and Why?The Nor Cal PGA Section oversees the calendaring of National Qualifying events, pro-pro events, pro-am events, division (i.e., Senior, Assistant/Apprentice and Women’s events) and chapter events and outside events such as PGA TOUR qualifying events. The goal is to minimize the number of events on any one given day in order to maximize attendance at the events being held.

How Does the Process Work?Step 1: NCPGA Staff schedules National Championships and Section Events (Pro-Pros and Championships)Step 2: The tentative 2011 Calendar has been sent to all Professionals with the Pro-Am Request Form and instructions on how to schedule a pro-am. These directions and forms are also available on NCPGALinks.com.Step 3: Host PGA Professionals send in a Pro-Am Request Form with a check for $35 to the NCPGA for any Pro-Am they wish to schedule at their facility. Step 4: The NCPGA Staff has already begun to approve Pro-Am requests based on the following criteria:

Date AvailabilityPast History (age of event)Purse SizeDate Request ReceivedGeographical Limitation – pro-ams on the same day must be more than 60 miles apart from each other to encourage local players to play in their local pro-am

Step 5: Assistant/Apprentice Division, Senior Division, Women’s Division and Chapter events are then scheduled.Step 6: NCPGA Staff posts the approved events calendar and manages changes to the calendar ongoing throughout the year.

Why do I Need to Pay Pro-Am Fees?There are three types of Pro-Am Fees – a $35 sanction fee, a $5 per player section fee and a $150 per non-PGA professional surcharge section fee.

The $35 sanction fee covers the administrative costs of the mailing/scheduling process, the promotion/advertising of the Pro-Am and also assists in securing your desired date in an effort to maximize participation. This also includes the marketing all Pro-am events at no charge via eNews and dedicated email blasts to the membership.

The $5 per player fee directly subsidizes the section tournament operation. These monies assist in minimizing expenses associated with managing all tournaments in an effort to maintain the highest purse payouts for Section events.

The $150 per non-PGA professional surcharge section fee is in place to encourage host professionals to fill the field with PGA professionals before going outside of the membership for professional players.

What are my Responsibilities as the Host PGA Professional for a Pro-Am?There are numerous responsibilities outlined in Section VI. of the NCPGA Tournament Rules & Regulations or visit the Pro-Am page on NCPGALinks.com. Please review these and keep them handy for future reference.

The process used for calendaring NCPGA events each year has been developed over time to benefit our Section PGA professionals. If you have any questions regarding this process, please contact Tracy Stansberry, NCPGA Tournament Chair, at [email protected] or Brandon Hill, Assistant Tournament Director for the Nor Cal PGA at [email protected] or (707) 449-4742.

www.wayfarergolf.comPh 831.673.6213

[email protected]



N C P G A H O N O R A R Y M E M B E R S H I P

Professionals Gather to Pay Tribute to Honorary Member Bruce Wilson at Eldorado Hotel Casino RenoPresented by

LEFT: One of the most respected sales representatives in the Northern California PGA Section; Bruce Wilson was joined by colleagues from Titleist/Footjoy for his in-duction into the exclusive roster of NCPGA Honorary Members. In recognition of his achievement, Wilson was presented with a full set of clubs and irons from the company which he represented for decades.

LEFT: Bruce Wilson recounted his experiences in the golf industry in our Section and expressed his gratitude for receiving such a prestigious award from the Nor Cal Section membership.

RIGHT: NCPGA President Monte Koch (l) pins Wilson with the official PGA crest in tribute of his honorary membership in the Northern California PGA Section.

RIGHT: Section Sponsor Dave McCracken shares information about golf’s ultimate team championship, the SET Scramble with meeting attendees.

LEFT: Cutter & Buck representative and event sponsor Pete Santora (r) and wife Sarah distributed beautiful logo embroidered shirts to attendees.

E n j oy t h e Wa l k

W A Y F A R E R G O L F


New Members of the Association AcknowledgedGraduates of the PGM program were recognized at the Semi-Annual Meeting for their determination and success in becoming a member of the Association. Although not all newly elected PGA Professionals were able to attend, please be sure to congratulate the graduates in our Section and newest members of the PGA of America.

James Harper, PGA - Lake of the Pines Country Club: A-1Cabe Jones, PGA - Coyote Moon Golf Course: A-1Daniel Jamati, PGA - Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course: A-6Joel Rhea-Munroe, PGA - Half Moon Bay Golf Links: A-8Alexander Sampson, PGA - Half Moon Bay Golf Links: A-8Nathan Smith, PGA - PGA Tour: A-3Gary Xavier, PGA – NCPGA Section Office: A-11Marcus Judge, PGA - Haggin Oaks Golf Complex: A-8Cole Handley, PGA - Poppy Hills Golf Course: A-8Krystal Shearer, PGA - Silver Creek Valley Country Club: A-8Christopher Bradford, PGA - Bradford Golf Academy: A-14Corey Carlson, PGA - River Island Country Club: A-8Aaron Hartesveldt, PGA - Canyon Oaks Country Club: A-8Matthew Cirimele, PGA - Marin Country Club: A-8Brian Glosser, PGA - Winchester Country Club: A-8Phil Green, PGA - Home on the Range: A-9Stephen Haines, PGA - Stevinson Ranch Golf Club: A-8Mike Milligan, PGA - Old Greenwood: A-8Corey Butler, PGA - Corral De Tierra Country Club: A-8Parker Hammond, PGA - DeLaveaga Golf Course: A-8Sara Lester, PGA - Castlewood Country Club: A-8

2010 PGA PGM graduates were recognized for achieving membership into the Association.

The 2010 NCPGA Board of Directors (Not pictured: Jim Kepler & Ted Mattila)

PGA Professionals from the Monterey Bay Area Chapter (Pictured L to R) Eric Lippert, John Pietro, Kevin Hanssen, Chuck Dunbar & Chris Appling.

PGA Director of Instruction at Montreux G&CC Jan Usher with event sponsors Frank and Kathy Rogers of Golf Ahoy.

PGA Professionals Rick Moreno and Daryl Parenteau.

PGA Professionals enjoying the camaraderie at the Semi-Annual Meeting (Pictured L to R) Charlie Leider, Bob Bowker and Rick Jetter.


N C P G A S P E C I A L A W A R D S

Vern Waskom Co.P.O. Box 2353Castro Valley, CA 94546

PH (510) 537-8934FX (510) 538-3450

Lyle O. Wehrman, Nor Cal PGA Leader Passes Away at 94Section Leader~ Historian~ Mentor~ Father~ Friend

Lyle O. Wehrman, one of the most influential members in the history of the Northern

California Section of the Professional Golfers Association passed away peacefully at home, on Sept. 24, 2010. He was 94.

Family, friends, fellow golf professionals, Section staff and numerous golf industry leaders gathered recently at Diablo Country Club to express their condolences to the Wehrman family. It was also a chance for others to pay tribute to the life of a man who was one of the greatest leaders in golf. Wehrman, a dedicated member of The PGA of America since

Dec. 11, 1939, served as president of the Northern California Section from 1962 to 1964 and was national PGA vice president from 1968 to 1970. He was named national PGA Golf Professional of the Year (1964), NCPGA Golf Professional of the Year (1963 and 1964) and was inducted into the PGA Golf Professional Hall of Fame (2005). He is a past recipient of the NCPGA Horton Smith Award for his contributions in education and the first recipient of the NCPGA Lyle O. Wehrman Award presented for exceptional volunteerism. In 2006, Wehrman was bestowed the NCGA Distinguished Service Award.

"The game of golf has lost one of its greatest ambassadors with the passing of Lyle Wehrman," said Chris Thomas, executive director of the Northern California Section. "Lyle was the epitome of what a PGA member should represent. He was enormously respected throughout his career at the National and Section level and at the clubs and courses in which he served over the years. We will miss him very much but the legacy of Lyle Wehrman will surely live on."

Wehrman’s career in golf started in his youth as a caddie at Lake Chabot Golf Course in Oakland where he also worked at the driving range and in the golf shop. In 1942 he entered the Army and was stationed in the Philippines where he served as a First Lieutenant and earned a Bronze Star medal for his courageous efforts in combat operations.

In 1946, Wehrman returned to Lake Chabot for a short while before accepting the PGA head golf professional position at Merced Golf & Country Club. To follow were similar PGA head golf professional positions at Diablo Country Club and Sunol Valley Golf Course. Several of the young juniors he mentored, followed in his footsteps as standout players who became PGA club professionals.

Wehrman will be best remembered for his years of dedicated service to the Northern California PGA, with assignments that spanned from executive director (in the mid ‘70s) to long-time board member while also chairing various Section committees over the years (Bylaws, Election,

Lyle had strong ties to the Northern California Golf Representatives Association, serving as its Executive Director and being an instrumental leader in the development of its annual merchandise show (Also pictured: NCGRA President Gary Renelt (l) and former NCGRA Merchandise Show Director Carol Swenson).

continued on next page


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Rules, Public Relations, etc). He was an NCPGA honorary director at the time of his passing. He especially enjoyed serving as Section historian and director of senior affairs and was making the trek to the NCPGA Section Office up until the age of 92.

Additionally, Wehrman had strong ties to the Northern California Golf Representatives Association (NCGRA). He served as executive director for the organization and was quite instrumental in the development of their annual golf rep show. “Lyle was a legend, not only within our organization but throughout the entire golf industry,” said NCGRA President Gary Renelt. “Golf has lost one of its best…a true professional, a leader and a friend to so many of us.”

Wehrman was passionate about golf and was still teeing it up at the age of 90. He was an active member of the NCPGA tournament committee for decades and officiated hundreds of events, including Playing Ability Tests and PGA Tour qualifiers (Stage I & II). One of his favorite assignments (in the ‘70s & ‘80s) was serving as the starter on the first tee at Pebble Beach Golf Links during “The Crosby”, now commonly known as the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

Lyle O. Wehrman, is preceded in death by his loving wife, Joan, and daughter-in-law Pamela Wehrman. He is survived by his brother Dennison Wehrman, son Lyle Wehrman Jr., daughter Tudi Wehrman, grandson Mark (Kristy), granddaughter Lindsay, and great-granddaughter Whitney.

IN MEMORY

As most know, Lyle Wehrman was a huge supporter of

junior golf at a variety of levels. In lieu of flowers, and

because of Lyle’s dedication to junior golf, his family

kindly suggests that a donation be made to any of the

following worthy organizations:

Junior Golf Association of Northern California

2410 Camino Ramon, Suite 190,

San Ramon, CA 94583,

NCGA Foundation’s Youth on Course Program

P.O. Box NCGA, Pebble Beach, CA 93953

Northern California PGA Junior Golf Tour

411 Davis Street, Suite 103,

Vacaville, CA 95688.Lyle assisted onsite as an official at hundreds of Section events, Playing Ability Tests and PGA Tour Qualifiers over the decades.

Lyle will be remembered by friends and colleagues for his years of dedicated service and contributions to the Section and the industry (Pictured L to R) John Abendroth, PGA; Paul Wilcox, PGA; Carol Pence, PGA/LPGA; Sue Fiscoe, PGA/LPGA; Lyle Wehrman, PGA; Chris Thomas and Al Krueger, PGA.

Lyle's family joined him for his induction to the PGA Hall of Fame in 2005.

continued from previous page


Official Event

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Pro Series 2Presented by Wayfarer GolfBlackhawk Country Club (Par 72) – Danville, Calif.Host Professional – Tim Burr, PGA Brad Braden (Dublin Ranch GC) – 68 (-4)

Senior-Junior ChampionshipPresented By E-Z-GO TextronSpring Valley Golf Course (Par 70) - Milpitas, Calif.Host Professional – Rick Jetter, PGAMike Beveridge (Rancho Solano GC) & Jeffrey Anderson (Mill Valley, CA) -125 (-15)

4-Pro ScramblePresented by Eldorado Hotel Casino Reno & Oakley GolfSupported by Club Car & Antigua Somersett Country Club (Par 72) – Reno, Nev.Host Professional – Stuart Smith, PGAMarc Lawless (Diablo Grande GC), Kasey Wallace (Diablo Grande GC), Chad Pettingill (Patterson, CA) & Doug Hanson (Turlock G&CC) - 56 (-16)

Senior & Regular Pro-Scotch ChampionshipPresented by ILT Golf VacationsSonoma Golf Club (Par 72) - Sonoma, Calif.Host Professional – John McMullen, PGARegular Division: Jason Schmuhl (Windsor Golf Club) & Joseph Carlton (Windsor Golf Club)-129 (-15)Senior Division: Michael Cook (Mountain Springs GC) & Michael Paul (Washoe County GC)-130 (-14)

Sierra Nevada OpenPresented by Eldorado Hotel Casino RenoArrowCreek CC - Challenge Course (Par 72) – Reno, Nev.Host Professional – Lacy Erickson, PGAThe Golf Club at Gray's Crossing (Par 72) – Truckee, Calif.Host Professional – Shane Jones, PGABen Fox (Los Angeles, CA) – 203 (-13)

NCPGA Professional National ChampionshipPresented by Club Car, Footjoy, ILT Golf Vacations, Mercedes Benz & TitleistSupported by PGA TourTPC San Francisco Bay (Par 72) – Hayward, Calif.Host Professional – Greg Rodgers, PGAJason Schmuhl (Windsor GC) – 138 (-6)

Pro Series 2 Champ Brad Braden (c) with event partner Dave Ozorowski representing Wayfarer Golf (r) and Host Professional Tim Burr (l).

(Pictured L to R) Pro-Scotch Champions Jason Schmuhl & Joseph Carlton, ILT Golf Vacations Director of Operations Tyler Flake and Senior Pro-Scotch Champions Michael Paul & Michael Cook.


Northern California OpenProudly Presented by Rolling Hills CasinoSevillano Links at Rolling Hills Casino (Par 72) – Corning, Calif.Host Professional – Brian Dahmer, PGARyan Thornberry (Ceres, Calif.) – 207 (-9)Top Amateur: Paul Misko (Thousand Oaks, CA) – 211 (-5) Top NCPGA Professionals: Jason Owen (CSUMB Coach), Jason Schmuhl (Windsor GC) & Eric Goettsch (Tehama Golf Club) – 215 (-1)

AA Division

AA Medal Play 4Presented by Global Tour Golf & Andy Paisal Golf SalesHaggin Oaks Golf Complex (Par 72) - Sacramento, Calif.Host Professional – Mike Woods, PGA Steve Watanabe (The Bridges Golf Club) – 66 (-6)

NCPGA Callaway Golf Assistant ChampionshipPresented by Callaway GolfBrookside Country Club (Par 72) – Stockton, Calif.Host Professional – Joe Smith, PGA ApprenticeDavid Solomon (Diablo CC) – 139 (-3)

AA 2-Person ChampionshipPresented by Cutter & BuckPalo Alto Hills G&CC (Par 71) – Palo Alto, Calif.Host Professional – Mark Sivara, PGAEric Lippert (Del Monte GC) & Brant Wilson (Carmel Valley Ranch) -66 (-5) Steve Watanabe (System Golf) & Rod Ghilarducci (Meadow Club) -66 (-5)Grant Haney (Preserve GC) & Christopher Galvin (Sierra View CC) -66 (-5)

AA Medal Play 5Presented by Global Tour Golf & Andy Paisal Golf SalesIncline Village GC – Championship (Par 72) – Incline Village, Nev.Host Professional – Cathy Jo Johnson, PGAJason Schmuhl (Windsor GC) – 71 (-1)

Senior Division

Senior Pro-Pro 4Presented by Club CarSpring Creek G&CC (Par 72) – Ripon, Calif.Host Professional – Jim Toal, PGAChris Bitticks (Poppy Ridge GC) – 68 (-4)Super Senior: Al Krueger (Alamo, CA) & Eddie Duino (Aptos, CA) – 76 (+4)

Senior Pro-Pro 5Presented by Club CarMorgan Creek G&CC (Par 72) – Roseville, Calif.Host Professional – Joe Moulton, PGA ApprenticeMitch Thomas (Morgan Creek G&CC) & Ron Parsons (Blue Rock Springs GC) – 70 (-2)Super Senior: Al Krueger (Alamo, CA) – 71 (-1)

Senior Pro-Pro 6Presented by Club CarChardonnay GC (Par 72) – Napa, Calif.Host Professional –Roger Billings, PGAAl Weinhold (Placerville, CA), Michael Paul (Washoe County GC) & Richard Dudley (Pin High GC) - 70 (-2)Super Senior: Eddie Duino (Aptos, CA) – 73 (+1)

Host PGA Professional Brian Dahmer (c) congratulates Nor Cal Open Champ Ryan Thornberry (l) and Amateur Nor Cal Open Champ Paul Misko (r).


Senior Match Play ChampionshipPresented by Golf Insurance ServicesFinal Round: Cypress Point Club (Par 72) – Pebble Beach, CAHost Professional – Casey Reamer, PGAMitch Thomas (Morgan Creek G & CC) def. Charlie Gibson (Morgan Creek G & CC) - 5 & 4Super Seniors: Gary Plato (San Jose, CA) def. Rick Rhoads (San Francisco GC) - Won 21 Holes

Senior North/South Cup MatchesPresented by Pima DirectSanta Maria Country Club (Par 72) - Santa Maria, Calif. Host Professional – Michael Valdez, PGANCPGA 24½ - SCPGA 11½

Sr. NCPGA Professional National ChampionshipHalf Moon Bay Golf Links (Par 72) - Half Moon Bay, Calif.Presented by Carson Valley InnHost Professional – Kevin Niessner, PGAMichael Cook (Mountain Springs GC) -144 (E)Super Senior: Gary Plato (San Jose, Calif.) -148 (+4)

Senior Pro-Pro 7Presented by Club CarEagle Vines GC (Par 72) – Napa, Calif.Host Professional – Matt Dito, PGAJohn Abendroth (Franklin Canyon GC), Charlie Gibson (Morgan Creek G&CC), John Snopkowski (Santa Teresa GC) & Al Weinhold (Placerville, CA), - 71 (-1)Super Senior: Jim Collart (Lincoln, CA) & Al Krueger (Alamo, CA) – 72 (E)

Senior Northern California OpenGenoa Lake GC (Par 72) – Genoa, Nev.Host Professional – Lou Eiguren, PGAGreg Bruckner (Phoenix, AZ) - 133 (-11)Super Senior: Raul Quezada (Copper River CC) -140 (-4)Top Amateur: Mark Miller (Antioch, CA) - 143 (-1)Top NCPGA Professionals: Glen Stubblefield (Spring Creek G&CC) & Charlie Gibson (Morgan Creek G&CC) -140 (-4)

LEFT: Senior Match Play Champion Mitch Thomas (r) with runner-up Charlie Gibson.

RIGHT: Super Senior Match Play Champion Gary Plato (l) with Runner-up Rick Rhoads.

Event partners congratulated the Northern California Open Champions (Back Row -Pictured L to R) PGA Director of Golf Lou Eiguren with Carson Valley Inn Director of Sales Bill Henderson) and (Front Row – Pictured L to R) Nor Cal Open Champ Greg Bruckner with Amateur Nor Cal Open Champion Mark Miller.


2010 Player of the Year Proudly Presented by Yamaha

1 Jason Schmuhl ............................................................................ 1,076.75* 2 Mitch Lowe .................................................................................1,009.86 3 Jeffrey Anderson ............................................................................. 663.03 4 Hae Y. Lee .........................................................................................573.75 5 Steve Hummel .................................................................................553.09

Senior & Super Senior Division Player of the Year Proudly Presented by Nike Golf

Senior Division:1 Michael Cook .................................................................................. 217.50 2 Charlie Gibson ................................................................................208.75 3 Michael Paul ...................................................................................204.50 4 Mitch Thomas ............................................................................... 194.00 5 Dave DeLong .................................................................................. 157.50

Super Senior Division:1 Gary Plato ........................................................................................ 142.25 2 Al Krueger ........................................................................................132.75 3 Raul Quezada .................................................................................. 128.00 4 Eddie Duino ...................................................................................106.50 5 Jim Collart ....................................................................................... 105.25

Assistant Apprentice Player of the Year 1 Steve Watanabe ............................................................................. 695.50 2 Joe Dolby ........................................................................................ 672.50 3 Joseph Carlton ................................................................................589.40 4 Eric Goettsch ................................................................................. 500.33 5 Mitch Thomas ................................................................................ 496.33

Women’s Division

Northern California Women’s Cup Matches Presented by Ahead & Terry Kuhns Golf SalesPoppy Ridge GC (Par 72) – Livermore, Calif.Host Professional - Chris Bitticks, PGAAmateurs 18 - Professionals 6

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How did you get your start in the golf business and what made you decide to be a PGA Professional?

I was working in San Francisco at PG&E. About one block away from my office, was Chuck Sprawkins Golf School and I would go there to hit balls during my breaks. One day Chuck asked me if I would come help him at the school. I was always interested in all types of sports and had been planning to become a teacher before World War II so I said, “Yes.” At the time, I did not realize it would become the beginning of a long impecunious golf career. Incidentally, Chuck Sprawkins was the first to have a golf program on television and I was on the program a few times.

What positions have you held in your career?

While at the golf school, a member of the Contra Cost Country Club approached me as he was looking for an assistant professional, so I became an assistant to Vito Machado. He now lives in Arizona and I phoned him earlier this year on his 100th birthday.

I also worked at Lake Chabot off and on for many years for Dick Fry — one of the nicest gentlemen I ever knew. Later I spent three years at both Haggin Oaks Golf Complex in Sacramento as well as at Grass Valley Golf Course, where I was general manager. I also served as Head Professional at San Ramon Golf Club. My last stop was with John Fite at the Claremont Country Club.

I played fairly well, but my main forté was always teaching. I enjoyed teaching the most because I was able to help people and was always happy to see some even good results.

Who would join you in your fantasy foursome?

Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, and Byron Nelson. They are all top grade players. I never had the pleasure of meeting Ben, but Bobby was such a fine gentleman. One time I wrote Byron to tell him how much I admired him. Among my most prized possessions is the wonderful note from Byron, thanking me for my letter.

Other facts on Richard:

I recently turned 90 years old. I live with my wife, Jane, of 63 years in the Rossmoor retirement community of Walnut Creek, CA, where I was the first PGA Golf Professional when the Rossmoor Golf Course opened in 1965. If there is a secret to marriage, I can’t think of any. To have tolerance and respect is an asset, and having a sweet, real lady.

We had three daughters and a son. In fact, my son Gill is a PGA Member. I was so busy working and helping raise our children that I really didn’t play golf much.

I used to do woodworking, building miniature cable cars and rocking horses. I still read quite a bit — about four to five books per month. I enjoy fiction based on history and mystery novels.

I was born in Bakersfield, CA in 1920 and lived in the Bay Area most of my life. I went to high school in Piedmont and college at San Francisco State University where I majored in Education in hopes of becoming a teacher. However I was drafted into the Army’s Artillery unit and was stationed in Greenland of all places during WWII from 1943-1946. After the war, under the G.I. Bill, it was easy for military personnel to be accepted at college so I attended College of the Pacific for my fourth year of college. I never did become a school teacher but I was proud to have been a golf instructor for so many years.

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Best Practices:Will Teach for Food by John Snopowski, PGA

John Snopkowski is the PGA Head Golf Professional at Santa TeresaGolf Club in San Jose, California and the 2010 NCPGA Teacher of the Year.

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John Snopkowski on the importance of giving back to the community: At the Santa Teresa Golf Club, we not only wanted to give back to the community by taking part in the PlayGolfAmerica program “Free Lesson Month,” we wanted to take it a step further and tie it to a canned food drive to help local charities. Free Lesson Month, which takes place in May, encourages golfers who are new to the game and those who have not played in a while to take advantage of a free lesson to learn an introductory skill or to work on a past weakness. Because of the down economy and my affiliation with the church, I knew that the food banks were suffering more than usual.

I decided to promote Free Lesson Month by encouraging people to donate canned food in exchange for a free golf lesson. The campaign was called, “Golf is like a Can of Corn.” This was coined after the familiar baseball expression “can of corn” when someone easily catches a fly ball. I wanted to convey the message that learning golf was easy.

I created flyers and posted them around the complex in the golf shop, near the ball machines and at the learning center. We started the promotion in April, approximately two-three weeks prior to the start of Free Lesson Month. There was no minimum donation – and some people who did not bring a can of food offered a small cash donation.

At the end of the campaign, I was able to donate two large ice chests full of canned food to my church for the food banks. I also received $30 in cash donations, which I gave to a homeless woman I met when I was on the way to work early the next day.

John Snopkowski on the business impact of Free Lesson Month: Participating in Free Lesson Month was a terrific public relations campaign. It created a business enhancement for the driving range and generated some recurring business for me as a golf instructor. Over a seven-hour period, I was able to provide individual and small group lessons to approximately 35 people. Some lessons were only 10-15 minutes to help someone hone a skill. People were generous and donated between 1 to 10 cans of food each.

It was a positive experience and one that I look forward to managing again this year. In fact, I have new ideas on how to implement it differently to make it even more impactful.

Rather than teaching all seven hours of free lessons in one day, I plan to have 10-minute free lessons over the course of the five Saturdays in May – breaking it up into two hour increments of total teaching time. This will allow me to offer more free lessons and reach many new golfers.

This year, I have selected the “Bread of Life Ministry” food bank in Gilroy as the charity to benefit.

Overall, it is a wonderful experience that I encourage all golf facilities to undertake. While it is great to align it with Free Lesson Month, I think it is always a good time to give back to the community, so really this program can be done during any month. It helps us show that PGA Golf Professionals are leaders and role models, who are interested in giving back to the community.



AMERICAN EXPRESS IS THE OFFICIAL CARD OF PGA PROFESSIONALS

American Express is committed to growing the game of golf with you by supporting industry initiatives and creating golf programs that drive business to your facility.

AmericAn express’ support includes: • American Express/PGA Friend of a Cardmember 1

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The American Express® card premium over competitive bankcards may not be as great as assumed, due to additional fees charged by 3rd parties and other payment networks above the quoted interchange rate.

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1 - 888 - 879 - 26391 Lesson availability and format based upon individual PGA Professional discretion. Terms, conditions and restrictions apply.

2 Golf Retirement Plus™ is funded through a variable annuity, contract form GV6023, and is issued by Security Benefit Life Insurance Company and underwritten by Security Distributors, Inc. Variable annuities are long-term investments. Contributions to a variable annuity contract are subject to investment risk. This contract has limitations such as withdrawal charges and limited liquidity. Withdrawals prior to age 59 may be subject to a 10% federal tax penalty in addition to any applicable surrender charges. The Golf Retirement Plus™ program is subject to mortality and expense fees. Not available outside the U.S.

Toobtainaprospectusthatcontainsinformationaboutthevariableannuitycontractandaprospectusorprospectusesthatcontaininformationabouttheinvestmentoptionsunderthecontract,pleasecontactaregisteredrepresentativeat877-RET-PLUS.Youshouldreadtheprospectusesandconsidertheinvestmentobjectives,risks,andchargesandexpensesunderthevariableannuitycontractandinvestmentoptionscarefullybeforeinvestinganymoney.

Securities offered through MMC Securities Corp., Member FINRA/SIPC; Main Office: 1166 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY10036; Phone: 201-284-3614. Variable insurance products distributed by Marsh Insurance & Investments Corporation (MIIC Insurance Services in CA (CA License #OD28788) and Marsh Insurance Agency & Investments Corp. in New York). Marsh USA Inc., MC Securities Corp. and Marsh Insurance & Investments Corp. are affiliated companies owned by Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.

AMEX_benefits_flyer.indd 1 4/28/10 12:28 PM


San Francisco Bay Area, Monterey and Central ValleyAdrian MeyerSales Representative(510) [email protected]

Regional Sales Manager Steve Monteith(602) [email protected]

Here’s to keeping things on course.

E-Z-GO is proud to support the Northern California PGA, and applauds your dedication to enhancing the game of golf. See the RXV, TXT 48 and our entire Golf lineup at www.ezgo.com.

Northern California and NevadaCraig FarisSales Representative(510) [email protected]

RXV® TXT® 48

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It's Our Foundation...Let's Use It!"I use the NCPGA Foundation because it is convenient. The NCPGA Foundation makes it easy for me to offer selected clients and events additional charitable fundraising services with little to worry about on my end. Whether a participant's tax benefit or their connection to the chosen charity is what moves them to participate, the result is a win for all involved - the client drives participation to their event, the charity raises needed funding and I offer an additional easy to manager service that sets my facility apart from the next!""

Jeff Sanchez, PGAHead Golf ProfessionalSilver Creek Valley CC

Jeff Sanchez and his PGA Professionals Krystal Shearer, Paul Wyrybkowski and Avery Cook

To learn how the NCPGA Foundation can help you at your club, please contact Nancy Maul at [email protected]


Partner of the

Save the date for the 2010 NCPGA Special Awards Ceremony and Annual Meeting on

December 5-6th at the beautiful North Ridge Country Club in Fair Oaks, CA. Please join us on Sunday evening to honor our special award winners and Monday to get caught up on Section business and member education. 6 MSR meeting credits will be awarded to PGA members for each event with an additional 2 education credits available following Monday’s Annual Meeting! A special room rate of $69.00 is available for attendees at the Courtyard Sacramento Rancho Cordova Marriott! Please visit NCPGALinks.com to learn more about our Award Winners and to register for these events… Did you know that you

have less than one year to complete your required PGA Member Service Requirement (MSR) credits? The current MSR cycle ends on June 15, 2011 at which time all Class A and Life Member Active Professionals are required to earn a total of 54 credits of which a stipulated amount of education and meeting points are included. If you have questions about your MSR total or how to earn MSR credits, please contact Ida at the Section Office at (707) 449-4742…. In the world of junior golf, there are three primary rankings structures that allow players the opportunity to become ranked nationally for their performance and also receive tournament exemptions into other nationally ranked events. In its inaugural year, the NCPGA Junior Tour received national recognition from Golfweek Segarin Performance Index (Golfweek), the American Junior Golf Association Performance Base Entry (AJGE PBE), and the Junior Golf Scoreboard (JGS) in the form of player exemptions and rankings for the 2010-2011 tournament seasons. Learn more about the NCPGA Junior Tour by visiting NCPGA.com…. Do you receive at least one email communication from the Section Office each week? If you don’t, your email provider may be blocking our emails, marking it as spam or we may have an incorrect email address on file. To verify your information as well as email history, please contact Jennifer at the Section Office at (707) 449-4742 ….

N C P G A S H O R T S H O T S

(Pictured L to R) NCPGA Honorary President Bob Young, PWGA President Dianne Davis, PGA District 11 Director Sue Fiscoe & NCPGA Executive Director & COO Chris Thomas at the Pacific Women’s Golf Association Senior Event held at Creekside Golf Course this last May.

Stuart Smith of Somer-sett Country Club cap-tured the Sierra Nevada Stroke Play Champion-ship (Open Division) Title with a final score of 144 in September at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course.

Don Boyle of the Golf Club at Fernley captured the Sierra Nevada Stroke Play Championship Senior Division Title with a final score of 151 this last September at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course.

Numerous PGA Professionals volunteered their time and skills at the Annual Fred and Judy Alexander Foundation Golf Clinic and Play Golf America Day in May at Eagle Valley GC in Dayton, NV. Thanks to Ryan Chin of Sundog Eyewear for donating sunglasses to all of the children and Professionals as well as to Tony Smith and Ron McPherson of The Antigua Group for providing shirts for all of our PGA Professionals.


Systems Inc.

E V O L U T I O N

... Of the sprinklerhead.

www.gol�ogixsystems.com

PGA Director of Instructor Tom Morton introduces a free clinic with PGA Tour player Kevin Sutherland on pitching and chipping at the Play Golf America Day held in May at Haggin Oaks Golf Complex in Sacramento. Over 700 golf enthu-siasts attended this event throughout the day and attended clinics held by 15 volunteer Northern California PGA Professionals.

PGA Professional Tom James (c) from Kings Country Club was sworn in to the NCPGA Board of Directors this past July by Honorary President Bob Young (r) and President Monte Koch (l). Runner-up to the seat, James will fill the remainder of the term left by Director David Plotnik who moved out of the Section.

The Sierra Nevada Chapter held its 36th Annual Brooks Park Cup Matches this last October at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course. The Cup Teams consisted of the 12 top point winners on the Sierra Nevada Chapter PGA points list and top 12 North-ern Nevada Golf Association scratch players. The Sierra Nevada PGA Profession-als were victorious this year with 13 ½ points to the Amateur sides 10 ½ points. Thanks to the Sierra Nevada Chapter and Edgewood Tahoe GC.


JOHN VETTER(650) 363-8498 (650) 766-8498 cell

[email protected]

www.antigua.com

JOHN VETTER(650) 363-8498 (650) 766-8498 cell

[email protected]

www.antigua.com

Gathered in support of a resolution that recognizes the California Golf Industry's contributions to the State of California are (L to R) PWGA President Dianne Davis, CGCSA Government Affairs Committee Member Jim Ferrin, Hon. Senator Alex Padilla SD-20 and author of Senate Resolution No.109, CAG Communications Chair Emmy Moore Minister, and NCPGA Executive Director/VP of CAG Chris Thomas.

PGA head golf professional Mark Sherman (l) from Green Valley Country Club and team mates Bryana Gregory (c) & Jack Anthony(r) were invited by Tourism Malaysia to compete in the Grand California Championship, also known as the TV Team Championship, held at The Mine Resort in Malaysia, the official site of the 1999 World’s Cup and 2000 Women’s World Cup, this last October. Sherman is no stranger to Malaysia, having visited the country after earning an all-expense paid trip during the NCPGA TV Team Challenge in 2008.

N C P G A S H O R T S H O T S


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Documents

NCPGA TEE.SHOTS Magazine - Fall 2010